The present invention relates to a device for testing microchips which are contained in chip carriers and, more particularly, to a test adapter for microchip carriers having conductive leads along the four side edges thereof.
Until fairly recently solid state microelectronic devices were produced with twelve or fourteen active areas and these devices were packaged in rectangular insulating bodies, duel in-line packages in DIPs, having leads from the active areas extending from two opposite sides of the rectangular bodies. More recently, microcircuit devices have been produced in the form of square chips having active areas along all four side edges thereof. The standard chip carrier utilized today for this form of a microcircuit device comprises a square, low profile container having at least six leads extending from all four laterally facing side edges thereof. It is common practice to mount chip carrier of this type directly on a printed circuit board or to removable insert the chip carriers into chip carrier sockets, which in turn are mounted on the printed circuit board.
A number of test devices and clips are available for testing DIPs. An example of such a clip is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,097 to Long et al. Test contacts are provided on the clip body along two side edges thereof for engaging the leads of the DIP. Upstanding levers are pivotally mounted on the opposite ends of the body. Each lever carries a pair of contacts which engage with and latch onto the leads at the opposite ends of the two rows of leads on the DIP. Test leads or probes may be electrically connected to selected leads of the DIP by engaging the contacts of the test clip which are accessible at the top of the clip. While various test devices are available for testing DIPs, to our knowledge no such device has been provided for chip carriers having leads along the four side edges thereof. It is the object of the present invention to provide such a test clip or adapter.
Another object of the invention is to provide a test adapter for a chip carrier having conductive leads along four side edges thereof which may be latched onto the carrier without engaging the leads thereof.
A further object of the invention is to provide such a test adapter in which the contacts thereof engage the leads of the carrier with a positive wiping action to assure that good electrical connection is made between the contacts and the leads.